My Little Pony: Doctor Knows Best
by MissNessarose
Summary: Six doctors, unaware of the chaos that will spread, work peacefully at their jobs. They are some of the most skilled in their fields, and when havoc ensues, they must band together to stop all of Equestria from crumbling and falling apart beneath them. A pony version of a novelized Trauma Team. Second in the series, first to be posted. All rights belong to Hasbro and Atlus.
1. Prologue

**Just as a quick side note, I'd like to say that with all pony novels I often write, I use a mix of anthro style to it. To clear things up, I write them out to be humans, no unnatural skin tones, with colored wings and horns as necessary, no tails, and the vividly colored manes. Though I refer to hands as "hooves ", it is in fact hands. I apologize for the confusion. -Nessa  
**

* * *

Prologue

The entire field was quiet underneath the cover of darkness. The small town on the other side of the thick line of trees was mostly asleep, save for the few early risers. Appleoosa was a rare beauty on Equestria's map, a busy country town also filled with lush beauty that most overlooked. This home was hidden by the rolling hills that defined the southern portion of the city, the fields filled with rows upon rows of gorgeous wild flowers, all in bloom. The cabin in the field had once been occupied, but had since been abandoned for many years.

A small flock of butterflies had to come to rest earlier in the night upon a small grouping of the usual orange or pink flowers that covered this expansion of sweet grass, and in the dim dawn, their wings slowly fluttered as they took their fill of the sweet-smelling nectar within the blossoms.

As the sun rose, unleashing a pale milky dawn over the city, the insects fluttered and took flight in a moving orange pack, disappearing high into the sky. Below, where they had been, was a small ring of unnatural flowers stained an odd blue, in contrast to the sunset shades of their species. Within this ring, in a small indentation of the flora, was a filly—a young girl, lying within the blossoms, with her arms neatly clasped over her small chest.

Her sundress was a beautiful, pale white, stained with years of care for it, and her hair was spread in navy blue tendrils across the grass, the blue flowers seemingly bending to take care over her body as she lay there, encased in the sweet haven of beauty. She had once lived in the cabin, yes, but not in years had she gone up its steps to the waiting arms of a caring father.

She instead lay here, in her sweet-smelling tomb, for a heart no longer passionately beat beneath this filly's chest.

In Canterlot, nearly halfway across the country, a busy day was starting for the capital's inhabitants, especially those inside Canterlot First Care, the local hospital, which was always busy with patients and cases abound. However, the doctors there loved and lived for their jobs, and saving ponies, good and dark-natured alike was what they did on a daily basis, and they couldn't hope for anything more.

Six ponies, especially, would soon be caught up in a whirlwind of events leading them to one case, one destiny, one life, and could put all of Equestria in potential danger of extinction. Though they did not yet know each other, they soon would grow close and have to turn to each other for help if they were to keep their worlds from crumbling beneath their hooves.

For the true mystery, the true evil, lay sleeping in bloom...but it would soon awake, whether the world was prepared to face it, or not.


	2. DS-A04 1-The Masked Prisoner

**~Book 1: Dusk Shine/DS-A04~**

1: The Masked Prisoner

The cell was one of the most heavily guarded in the prison, the heavy metal gate over the cold-compressed room locked by a metal beam with a passcode for entry, and the small area all with a thick metal barred gate, two guards standing watch outside it. Needless to say, this was a cell of special importance, and not too many visitors came this way...or were allowed to.

A unicorn mare, with an almost blinding blue-white mane strode up, clad in a neat deep blue suit and black gloves stepped up to the cell, giving a charming smile to the guards. Another guard, her escort, turned to the two on watch.

"Open the door. She wants to talk to the prisoner."

"The stallion with the 250-year sentence?" one asked, giving a confused glance to his partner. "We weren't informed of this."

The mare fumbled in the pocket of her jacket for a moment, before pulling out a neatly folded page, pressing it into the hands of one guard.

"This is my authorization from the HHS. Any problems?"

One sighed, and opened the barred gate, going with the other to begin putting in the keypad to open the entire thing, closing the bars behind them to prevent escape.

"I'm sure he won't say a word. He doesn't remember anything..."

Steam hissed out of the open metal doors. On the hard bench, the prisoner, another unicorn sat quietly, hooves bound with cuffs, and a heavy metal mask over his head, only with a gap to breathe and for his horn—though a plastic cap over it prevented any magic—and hollow holes, lit up yellow, for eyes. He wore little more than what was almost a body suit, tight-fitting and a pale white, with white boots, and a thin, tattered black shawl around his shoulders.

The mare frowned, stepping forward into the cell and folding her hands together. "It's been awhile."

"What do you want?" he answered softly, all life lost from his voice, echoing slightly inside the metal helmet.

"You're needed for an operation, in exchange for a reduced sentence," she offered. "We're aware of how skilled your hooves are."

"You...want me...to operate?" he asked slowly, breath coming out in little fogged clouds from the gap.

"That's right," the mare nodded gently, like talking to a child, placing a clipboard in his hands. "Here are the details if you want to see them. Take your time and think it over. But remember...you'll never have another opportunity to save lives."

"Save...lives," the unicorn stallion whispered slowly, as if reminiscing. "...again?"


	3. DS-A04 2-Frozen in Time

2: Frozen in Time

The outside of the hospital was like any other, mostly consisting of glass windows from patient's rooms, with a big concrete awning over the front entrance, flowers and trees planted all along the ground. A small colony of monarch butterflies were currently occupying the flowers there, taking their time, delicate wings fluttering softly.

The armored truck, accompanied by a police cruiser, was parked just outside of the entrance—drawing some attention from passerby, and the back of the truck clattered open noisily.

"Get out," the unicorn mare ordered, standing by the open back.

The prisoner, for once finally free of the heavy helmet, which sat idly on the step leading to the ground from the truck, held a cuffed hoof above his eyes, wincing in the first beam of direct sunlight he'd seen in years. His mane, a mess of purple strands with the occasional deep magenta, still had his hooves chained together, the tight cap still over his horn to prevent magic.

He frowned even more—this would be the last taste of life outside a cell he would have.

"This is Canterlot First Care," the mare instructed, gesturing to the building. "This is where you'll be operating."

They passed in silence up to the conference room on one of the upper floors, and the mare held the key, slowly unchaining his cuffs, which clattered noisily open.

"The only time you'll be out of chains and with free will of your magic will be in the operating room, understood?"

He nodded, flexing his hooves, free after so long of being contained tightly.

"Remember," she added, "This is five years off of your sentence. Any questions?"

"...None," he answered solemnly, and his deep purple, lifeless eyes raised to look her directly in the eye. "I'm just here to do my business."

The door to the conference room opened, and a stallion with a bright pink, highly curled mane clambered in, a small bottle of coffee in one hand. His eyes widened, and he rushed over to the inmate, holding his hoof out to shake with the newcomer.

"Hey there! I'm Bubble Berry Pastrie—I'm a doctor here," he introduced himself vibrantly, but put his hoof down when it was clear that he wasn't going to be given a shake in return, and went on. "I'll be your support for this operation—what's your name?"

"His name doesn't matter," the cold mare cut in, stepping between the two. "Let's keep the contact minimal. His prison number is DS-A04 if you need to call him anything."

"Oh," Bubble Berry said quietly. "I see."

"Now get started," the mare ordered to the prisoner. "We'll be here, waiting for you."

She leaned forward to his ear, lips almost touching the skin. _"And don't even think about trying anything funny."_

Name: Cadence Hart

Age:21

Gender: Mare

Height: 69.8 in

Weight:: 135.0 lbs

-Dilated cardiomyopathy. After the incision, locate and treat quickly with an overlapping method.

"Well, then," Bubble Berry flicked absently through the papers. "I guess I'll be explaining the gist of this operation."

"I'm told we'll be using an OLCVR for a DCM case?" DS-A04 interrupted blankly.

"That's right! But...will you be alright?" the peppy stallion asked, concern flickering over his features.

The prisoner frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Bubble Berry stalled for a moment, clearing his throat. "I...I heard from the mare outside that you have no memories," he said softly, and then gained confidence. "This isn't just some way to pay a debt. A life's on the line."

The unicorn shook his head as the plastic seal was removed, and magic began flowing back to its source—a relief washed over him, if only for a moment.

"You don't need to worry about that," he assured the stallion. "Let's operate."

**-Begin Operation-**

"Let's begin, then," Bubble Berry said confidently. Internally, the unicorn groaned. If the stallion was always this happy and upbeat, he wouldn't last five minutes near him without snapping and threatening to strangle his pink-haired asssistant. Hopefully they could finish this before that happened.

"Get me a syringe," the unicorn ordered. "Injecting stabilizer." He took a moment to watch the monitor, and then continued. "Vitals recovered."

He spread a brightly colored antibiotic gel over the area to sterilize the skin, and then took a scalpel from the stallion, cutting into the chest of the mare on the table.

"Ultrasound," he directed, looking for the supposed abnormalities in the alicorn's heart.

"The affected are should appear as a dark shadow," Bubble Berry reminded him, looking closely at the monitor.

The first shadowed area required a fairly easy procedure: inject antiviral drug, cut the tissue open, drain the wound, and then use the forceps to overlap the tissue over itself before suturing.

Using the ultrasound after treating the area, the unicorn went on to repair the next area.

"So far, so good. You know, you're not too bad with this," Bubble Berry said confidently, and DS-A04 snapped on him.

"Don't waste my time with your opinions," he snapped, going on with the sutures, drawing them tight and moving on to the next affected area. They scanned the heart again with the ultrasound, but no other shadows appeared on the screen.

"There...should be more affected areas," Bubble Berry squeaked softly.

"Get the ultrasound out of my way," he demanded, pressing the machine into his assistant's hands. "It's not helping anymore."

"W-What do you mean?"

"It's in my way. It's a machine, it can't find everything. I'm going to palpate the organ directly to find them," he explained in a dead tone.

"Y-You're going to feel the areas?" Bubble Berry blinked, eyes wide. "W-Will that be okay?"

DS-A04 ignored him fully, going on to feel the heart with his hooves, reaching for the antiviral drug several seconds later. "I already found one. Scalpel."

He did this, and a few minutes later, no more abnormalities could be found.

"Done. Let's close her up."

**-Operation Complete-**

"That was a fine operation, Doctor," Bubble Berry told him afterwards, a proud smile on his face. "Thank you."

DS-A04 snorted. "I didn't do anything worth being thanked for."

The stallion's ears flattened, and he nodded, glancing towards the ground. "I-I see..."

He sat in silence on the ride back to the prison, cuffed in the cold metal back of the truck, replaying images of the operation in his mind. It was simple, really. Had he been away from other pones for so long that they know appeared too happy and clingy to him? Or had he just turned cold and dark inside, growing even less attached to the outer world?

"'Doctor', huh...?" he mused, remembering how Bubble Berry had addressed him as such.

He'd never expected for anyone to call him that in a long time...but like, always, maybe he was wrong about that, too.


	4. DS-A04 3-Uninvited Guest

3: Uninvited Guest

"_That was a fine operation, Doctor. Thank you."_

He was back in the cold, cold cell again, wrapped up in nothing but the suit and the shawl, but he wasn't shivering—his body had grown accustomed to the lower temperatures. His mind, however, was less stable—he couldn't get that damn voice out of his head! Maybe the stallion he'd met was more annoying than he'd thought.

"Life..." he whispered to himself, as the doors slid open with a metallic hiss. Well, this was at least more visits than he'd had in a long time...

"Howdy, partner," the blonde stallion in the doorway waved as the doors hissed shut again, encasing them in dim darkness. "Ah came by tah see what you're up to." He shivered in the new change in temperature, glancing up to the vents above, which billowed out small streams of cold fog.

"Well, ah didn't expect yah to be livin' in a freezer..."

"The temperature is kept at 0 degrees Celsius," DS-A04 explained in a monotone, "to reduce bacteria." He paused for a moment, and hung his head, gaze shifting to the floor again. "And...so I can't kill anyone."

"Bacteria cultivation, huh?" the stallion pondered, leaning against the cold wall. "Pseudomonas, vibrio, micrococcus...plenty of bacteria can still grow like this," he laughed.

The prisoner frowned. "And you are...?"

"Jack Farmsworth," he said, with a nod. "And ah'm in charge of the mare you worked on. Ah want to consult you about something."

"...consult with me?" he asked disbelievingly.

"See, we've got a patient with tumors similar to Kaposi's sarcoma. Skin, lungs, small intestine. And they've all got tah be excised at once."

Silence filled the frozen room, and Jack straightened himself up with a sigh. "So how about it? You think it can be done?"

"There's not enough information to make a conclusion," DS-A04 said plainly, tone void of emotion. "But depending on the patient, I won't rule it out entirely."

"Is that so?" Jack mused. "Well, alright then. Let's get goin'."

DS-A04 frowned, almost angrily. "What are you talking about?"

The stallion looked at him as if he were stupid. "The operation, of course. You'll be the one performing it."

"Me!?"

"What's wrong? That's why ah came out to see yah."

The operating room, painted an almost vibrant green instead of the usual sterile white, was being prepped, and the pegasus mare with the vibrant mane was standing against the wall, tapping her hoof impatiently against the floor.

"Come on in, you're late," she called when they arrived at the door, cracking her knuckles loudly and ruffling her wings.

DS-A04 looked her over: most likely loud, rash, impatient, and hard to work with. Great.

"And you are...?" he asked, taking a look at the rest of the room.

"Rainbow Dash Flashe. I'll be assisting you this time," she gave him a cocky grin, running a hoof—covered with a fingerless glove—through her vibrant mane, goggles dangling around her exposed neck, paramedic jacket unzipped, a black tank top tight around her chest.

"You've heard the details, right?" she asked, and forced a clipboard into his hands. "Read the report, too."

"Alright," he said blankly, flicking through the paper.

She paused for a moment, looking him in the eyes.

"I've seen you before...have we met?" she observed, giving him a confused glare.

He ignored her fully, though. "I hear this is a tough condition to deal with."

"Hm?" she blinked, and then came back to reality. "Oh, yeah, y-you're right! Let's start the operation, then!"

Name: Lily Lightly

Age: 28

Gender: Mare

Height: 65.7 in

Weight: 116.8 lbs

-Extract tumors from the skin, small intestine, and lungs simultaneously. Be aware of changes in patient.

Rainbow Dash scratched her mane nervously, shifting her stance. "So, I know the main focus is tumor excision, but..."

"But?" he prompted, sighing internally. Was everyone that worked here this unprofessional?

"Well, it's odd," she groaned, rubbing a hoof into her temple. "Infections like this aren't all that rare...even so, we can't pinpoint exactly what's causing them."

"What do you mean? Have you done a blood analysis?" he questioned. Perhaps she was just getting worked up over nothing...

She shot him a heated glare, frowning. "Please! Of course we did, do you think we're stupid? Nothing showed up on the CRP, antibody titer, or WBC count. Other tests came up with nothing, too, and we're just stumped."

He thought it over for a moment, and couldn't help but agree. "That is indeed odd..."

Rainbow Dash shrugged it off, counting the tools on the tray there. "Well, hopefully this will be an uneventful op. Let's begin."

**-Begin Operation-**

As soon as they started, he noticed four moderately large tumors on the mare's side, in plain view. Had she noticed these and let them go untreated?

"Jack—that is, Dr. Farmsworth—said that it's like Kaposi's sarcoma," Dash muttered, looking at the odd tumors as well. "Who knows what it actually is, though."

"The foci show discoloration, like malignant melanoma," he said, as if reading out of a textbook. Get the laser ready, we'll treat the skin first."

They burned the small tumors off without any problems, and he handed it back to her almost roughly.

"Hey, watch where you swing that!" she hissed. "It's not harmless, you know."

"I'm moving on to check the intestine," he instructed, ignoring her comment and taking the scalpel to cut open their patient. He paused for a moment, and then handed it back to her. "Nevermind. There may be tumors under the skin as well. Give me the ultrasound."

"Pushy, aren't we?" Dash grumbled to herself, pressing the machine into his hoof.

DS-A04 scanned the skin for a moment, a dark shadow coming up. "Though so," he sighed, cutting into the skin and removing the larger tumor and applying a synthetic membrane to the area before diving in to check any internal damage.

"If it's the same as the skin, tumors should be here too," Dash advised, handing a jar of anti-inflammatory drugs and a syringe into his hoof. "You might want to take care of those inflammations, too."

"What did it look like I was about to do?" he snapped, taking care of the job. "They're all over...done. Found an underlying tumor. Scalpel."

He removed all three underlying tumors, placing them on a tray after extraction, and applying membranes over the opened areas, which melted to match the tissue easily.

"The small intestine's been treated," Dash said with a smile. "So far so good."

"Don't relax yet," he snorted. "We still have to treat the lungs."

"I know," she retorted. "You're pretty blunt, aren't you?"

DS-A04 rolled his eyes. "I don't care. Get ready to shift focus of the operation."

They worked up and moved to take care of the lungs, and Dash handed the tray away to receive a new one.

"Small tumors in the lungs," the unicorn stated. "Laser."

He took care of that and swapped out the laser for the ultrasound, taking it silently from her and continuing his work.

"Found one. Scalpel." He cut the shadowed area open, but instead of finding the usual cytoplasm to drain, it only revealed the cut he'd made, now seeping with another fluid.

"Mucus?" Dash cried, "There was only supposed to be tumors!"

"That doesn't change our treatment," he said calmly. "We'll keep going anyways."

"There have to be more, use the ultrasound again."

He took care of another shadowed spot, another pocket of mucus.

"Tumor markers are increasing?" he groaned. "One must be making the mucus. I'll find it."

DS-A04 scanned the area again, the next shadow revealing a tumor, what they'd been looking for.

"That must have been the cause," he said absently, removing it. "Extraction complete. That should stop the mucus."

They paused, watching the monitors and continuing to remove pockets of fluid here and there.

"Tumor markers still aren't decreasing," he observed, voice now full of concern and confusion. "Is it still the mucus?"

They exchanged a quick glance before a thick black shadow spread across the entire area—the lungs and the tissues surrounding it.

"What is this...? Some kind of bruise?" Dash asked, eyes wide.

Neither of them had seen anything like it before.

"That bruise..." DS-A04 paused for a moment, before dropping his tools, eyes open wide as he cried out, wrapping his hands around his body and staggering slightly back from the operating table.

"H-Hey!" Dash cried, trying to steady him. "What's wrong!? Are you alright?!"

"Ngh...I-I'm all right...!" he groaned. "Continuing with the operation!"

Though not convinced, she didn't argue, and let him continue. He scanned again, to find only more shadows, but instead of staying still, they appeared to be changing position.

"Is that mucus moving?" she asked disbelievingly, chocking back the bile that rose in her throat.

DS-A04 went on, scanning and removing both pockets of fluid and tumors, and after a minute or so of adrenaline-fueled horror, the dark shadowed bruises simply vanished.

"Is it over...?" she asked softly.

"I'll treat the remaining wounds and close her up," he stated, almost weakly, needle shaking in his hand as he began to sew up the sutures.

"Where did you learn to treat that kind of a thing?" Dash asked him, gently.

He could only shake his head. "I don't know...but that black bruise. I've seen that somewhere before."

"Where would see something that weird before?"

"I don't..." he sighed. "Let's just finish the operation. Hand me the gel."

**-Operation Complete-**

"So how'd it go?" a familiar voice called as he exited the OR. DS-A04 looked up to see Jack smiling over at him, casually leaning against the hall there.

"All the tumors have been extracted," he informed him simply. "It's a unique condition, so keep her fully monitored.

"So you're just leavin' now?" Jack snorted. "Sounds pretty irresponsible."

"I'm a prisoner," DS-A04 frowned. "I can't do anything else from here."

"Well, not exactly," the stallion shrugged. "You're responsible for that there patient until she leaves."

"I heard you'll be in custody here for awhile," Dash said, stepping out of the OR. "But I'll tell you that I'm firmly against that decision."

"I think your new room's over there," Jack rolled his eyes at Dash's harsh comment, pointing towards the next winding hall. "It's all up and barred, but at least it ain't like that icebox ya had. We're counting on yah tah help us save lives, partner."

"Satisfied?" the unicorn mare frowned, standing outside the entrance and gazing out at the small flowery display there.

Jack snorted. "Are yah kiddin'? I need tah see how he does before ah go on and decide anything. 'Sides, his little _entourage _is a pain in the ass, too."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked harshly, turning to face him with blue eyes piercing his soul.

"Don't treat me like an idiot, Trixie," Jack grinned. "Ah see a lot of new faces around here. Curious faces."

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Doctor, we're—"

He held up his hooves, though, and cut her off. "Whoa, partner! Ah try not tah get all caught up in other ponies' jobs. Let's just agree not tah interfere with each other, alright?" he tipped his straw hat to her, and turned to enter the building again.

Trixie frowned and crossed her arms, looking back at the flowers.

"Thanks for your cooperation," she said stiffly.


	5. DS-A04 4-History of Fear

4: History of Fear

They stood silently in the conference room, waiting for the final person to join their small group scattered around the large table. Hurried hoofsteps echoed outside all the way down the hall, until Bubble Berry practically drop-kicked the door open, standing in the doorway panting.

Thankfully, there was no damage otherwise.

Celestia, at the end of the table, pressed a hoof to her forehead. Her rainbow mane was tied up in a bun, decorative pins sticking out of it in all directions, wearing a a casual suit that expressed importance and dignity.

"Berry, you're late. What were you doing?"

DS-A04 stood behind him in the doorway, observing the scene with a watchful eye.

"C-Chief," the stallion panted, resting his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry...I'm late..."

"You're all out of breath, too," Jack observed, chilling in one of the chairs. "What were yah doin'?"

"Um...out in the courtyard?" Berry lied clearly, walking over and slouching into one of the chairs.

"Courtyard, huh?" Jack asked, looking back to DS-A04, who still stood there oddly, halfway in the hall. "What's your take on this, partner?"

"It's a lie," the prisoner said plainly. "The courtyard is less than 90 seconds away. Even if he'd run from there, he wouldn't be breathing this hard."

Jack laughed to himself. "I saw that, too. Where were yah really, Dr. Pastrie?"

"Um...well..." Berry panted.

"Enough of that for now," Celestia cut in gently. "I know we're all friends here, but playtime's over. Let's begin the conference. About 10 minutes ago, a Ferris wheel collapsed in nearby Ponyville. We're receiving four patients, one of whom is severely injured. The patient's name is Caramel [], a 29-year-old stallion. He has a steel beam in his abdomen and needs surgery as soon as possible."

"So we have his ID," Jack noted. "Has his family been notified?"

"Not yet," Celestia answered. "I'm leaving that up to you, Jack."

He nodded and left to call, and their meeting continued.

"Now, about the surgery itself," Celestia went on.

"Chief, if I may?" the endoscopic doctor, Fluttershy, interrupted gently, her voice soft and gentle.

Celestia looked up sharply. "What is it?"

She gestured softly to DS-A04, who stood beside her.

"Why not ask him to perform the procedure?"

"Me?" he asked, with a slightly shocked look.

"I've seen the video of his operation," she continued. "He's better than us. Severe organ damage is anticipated, and we'll need his skill."

"I did see him in action," Berry admitted. "I agree, he's amazing."

She seemed to consider it for a moment, and nodded, standing up.

"Well, then, it's decided. We'll count on you, then." she declared.

They were all ready at the ER entrance, checking vitals, getting a clean flow of oxygen in the patient, and getting not only the patient stabilized for the moment, but rushing him into the first open OR and working quickly to get their surgeon and his assistants prepped for surgery.

"Please, listen carefully," Fluttershy told him. "This will require several steps. I'll monitor the transfusion, so watch the patient's vitals."

DS-A04, walking casually along the hall beside her, only sighed. Her eyes flickered with concern, quickly.

"Doctor...? Is something wrong?"

"I'm not worried," he answered. "It's just..."

In the floor below, while rushing towards the nearest room, the monitor listing the critical patients' vitals flat lined.

"Doctor!" a nurse cried desperately.

"Dammit," Berry groaned, running alongside them. "Get the—"

"No time," the nurse responded. "We're bringing him in as is! Contact surgery now!"

"...just?" Fluttershy prompted.

"How we handle this crisis will affect the hospital's name," DS-A04 explained. "Is it all right to trust this to an outsider like me?"

She smiled softly, and closed her eyes. "You've let your short time here mislead you in understanding us. You aren't regarded as an outsider here anymore, Doctor. You've already saved two lives since you've been here. All of us believe in our hearts that you'll save this stallion."

"Believe..." he muttered darkly.

Watching the monitors, the nurses were crying out various statements.

"Cardiac arrest, one minute!"

"The hemorrhaging won't stop!"

"We won't let him die on us!"

"Let's go," DS-A04 said suddenly, turning to her. "It seems that our patient's arrived."

Name: Caramel Sweet

Age: 29

Gender: Stallion

Height: 68.9 in

Weight: 169.8 lbs

-Steel beam piercing the patient's abdomen. Patient currently in critical condition.

"The extraction of the foreign object is a delicate procedure," Fluttershy said gently, fully concerned about the upcoming operation. "I, Fluttershy Wilde, will be supporting you in this task."

DS-A04 nodded. "Let's get to it."

**-Begin Operation-**

Upon opening up the patient and directly proceeding to the affected area. Various lacerations were across the organ before him—too maimed to tell what it was—with glass protruding from it, and a large, bloody opened wound where the steel beam was jammed through.

"The patient's in critical condition," DS-A04 stated. "Let's be careful."

"The patient's undergoing cardiac arrest!" Fluttershy shouted suddenly, reaching for the shock paddles. "Charge the AED! Beginning resuscitation!"

They easily returned the pulse, and resumed treatment of foreign objects, starting with removing the shards of glass and fixing the lacerations across the organ. Some wires protruded from lacerations, requiring use of the ultrasound to know which direction to pull the wire out without damaging the area further.

"Beginning I-Beam extraction," he said, reaching for his tools. "I'm opening the wound further."

His scalpel pressed into the already damaged and bloodied tissue, and the drain was relied on heavily to allow sight of the entire area. After every cut, the forceps gently pulled the beam out of the organ, as it was too deeply lodged to remove all at once.

"Ventricular fibrillation!" DS-A04 suddenly cried, backing up. "Don't touch him!"

They stayed silent, watching with their own hearts racing as they waited. Fluttershy grabbed for the paddles again as the patient went into cardiac arrest, and they revived his pulse, continuing with removal of the beam.

"Halfway there," Fluttershy said hopefully, though the patients vitals weren't stabilizing.

"They're getting worse?" she said faintly. "I don't understand..."

"Here's the beam," he grunted, placing the large beam on a nearby surgical table, and working quickly to pinch the large wound shut and suture it closed. He placed synthetic membranes over the stitches, applying them with gel.

Some new wounds opened, and hemorrhaging occurred, which was speedily treated.

"Let's close up the patient," he nodded, reaching for the sutures again. "All done."

**-Operation Complete-**

"_Operation complete..." _DS-A04's voice came crackling over the monitor where Trixie, Dash, and Celestia watched from the security room. He then turned to Fluttershy. _"Thank you for your assistance in the procedure." _

"He's really something, isn't he?" Dash commented. "Like a machine. That kind of skill is just incredible. Right?"

No one answered, but Trixie gave a displeased 'hmm' from where she stood against the wall, flipping through her wallet. Dash looked over her shoulder, spotting several pictures there, one of Trixie smiling, holding a bright-eyed young filly.

"Is that your daughter?" she asked, grinning. "She's such a cutie!

Trixie only nodded.

"It's good she didn't take after her mom," Dash joked, nudging the unicorn slightly. "How old is she?"

"She would be fourteen now," Trixie said, closing the wallet and sliding it in her pocket. "If she were still alive."

An eerie silent filled the room.

"When did she pass away?" Celestia asked softly.

"She was killed in a bioterrorism attack eight years ago."

"Eight years?" Dash repeated, looking around. "Wasn't that—!?" She paused, hanging her head. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all in the past now," the unicorn replied.

"That incident at Canterlot College," Celestia sighed, reminiscing.

"My husband taught there," Trixie went on, pacing across the room. "He passed away with my little girl."

Dash, spirits weakened, let her wings droop. "Did they ever find who was responsible?"

She nodded. "Yeah...I caught him personally." Her gaze drifted up to the monitors they watched, where DS-A04 was still conversing with Fluttershy and the nurses back in the OR.

"Don't you recognize him?" Trixie pointed. "He's standing right there."

Dash immediately tensed up, anger and shock all mixing within her.

"W-What!? He..._he _did _that!?" _

Trixie crossed her arms. "A side effect of the gas...it erased his memory...but he was found guilty in a court of law for it."

"_That bastard!" _Dash shrieked, rushing out of the room and down the hall.

"Hey, Dash!" Celestia called after her, stepping out into the hall as well.

All the nurses were complimenting DS-A04 on a job well done, Fluttershy beaming proudly beside him.

"_Hey!"_ Dash shrieked, galloping towards them at full speed. _"You convict bastard!" _

He turned around to see what was going on, and she grabbed him by the shoulders, pinning him hard against the wall.

"_Is it you!? Did you do it!?"_

"What are you talking about?" he asked casually, frowning.

"_Are you responsible for Canterlot College!?" _she demanded, face red with rage. _"Answer me!" _

He showed a flash of hurt. "I've already been put on trial for what happened there.

"_Dammit!" _she screamed, throwing him across the hall and onto the ground. _"So what, then? Have you been lying to us all this time?"_

Celestia had her arms wrapped around Dash's waist, trying to hold her back, but she thrashed and kicked, continuing to yell at the prisoner.

"_You're a doctor, dammit! We swore an oath to do no harm!"_

"Dash, stop it!" Celestia grunted, feet planted firmly on the floor.

"_You can't remember, huh?! Screw you! Start remembering! Remember what you did, damn you!"_

Celestia, with the help of Trixie, managed to wrangle Dash off, and Fluttershy gently helped DS-A04 off of the ground.

"I'd like to return to my room," he said stiffly. "Could you escort me there?"


	6. DS-A04 5-Waking from Terror

5: Waking From Terror

He sat silently in the barred room that he lived in inside the vast hospital, slouched, with his head down, looking at the floor. As usual, sorrow had crept over him, leaving him void of any feeling, or desire to contact with others. That silence was soon broken when Bubble Berry entered, folding papers over the top of a clipboard in his hands.

"It's a request for surgery," he said, looking up over the clipboard and pausing. "Oh...is he still not..."

"It's a waste of time even speaking to him," Trixie hissed from where she sat coldly in a chair on one side of the room. Looking through the bars, Berry frowned, pouting.

"Why are you turning your back on everything?"

No answer. He put his hands on his hips, stepping closer to the cell.

"Look, if you'd just say you aren't the culprit, we'd all..."

DS-A04 didn't look up, but sighed, and began to talk softly.

"When I came to...all I saw was a mountain of corpses. They were gone. Hollow eyes, blood everywhere...I...may have been the one that killed them."

Silence reigned again, and Berry threw the clipboard on the ground, fists gripping the bars angrily.

"And you're fine with that?!" he shouted, disgusted. "You know for sure that it was you!? You're just running away! You can't hide from the truth!"

"I've had enough," the prisoner whispered, turning away. "Please...leave me alone."

"You fool..." Berry let out a scoff of disappointment, stalking away from the cell and out of the room.

He didn't move for the rest of the afternoon, the sun rapidly setting to a dim milky sunset through the glass window against one wall, casting a haze of colors across the whitewashed room. There was a gentle knock on the door, before Fluttershy entered, sticking her head in slowly and carrying in a metal try.

"I've brought your meal," she said gently. "Please eat at least some of it..."

"It was all just a dream," DS-A04 whispered to himself, as if not noticing her in the room.

"A dream?" she repeated, setting the tray on the table.

"I'm a prisoner," he continued. "I'm different from everyone else. That's all there is to it."

The following morning, Jack stood, pacing, on the roof of the hospital, taking in the bright sun, cool air, and comforting breeze. Trixie stood beside him, arms crossed, and her usual stiff expression present.

"So, Doctor," she said. "What do you think of him?"

Jack chuckled to himself. "What do yah mean? He's one heck of a surgeon."

"I've been watching him a long time," she said, as if it hurt to speak. "I...can't believe that he's the one who did it."

"That's an odd thing to say," the stallion turned to her, ears twitching in the wind that blew over them. "Considering you're the one who caught 'im."

"All we do is catch criminals. We don't decide their fate," she defended.

He bowed deeply. "And that's very noble of yah. What do yah want from me?"

The shady-eyed unicorn shifted her stiff pose. "I think you'd agree that you and I have a lot in common. Look, we transferred him here hoping his memory would return. I'd really like your help in our investigation."

Jack looked at her for a moment, and blew a stream of smoke out into the air. He threw his cigarette butt onto the ground between them with a displeased frown.

"Screw that. You and I are nothing alike."

And he stamped the cigarette into the gravel with his boot, stalking away.

"Ah'm not an idiot who would force a doctor without passion tah operate."

The rain was steady in its constant pouring over the hospital and the city around it, a dreary grey sky serving as a gloomy background beneath the water. DS-A04 still slouched where he sat, hair hanging in his face, eyes glazed and void of expression. Trixie opened the door to the room, standing there for a moment. He hadn't even looked up, but knew she was there.

"Did you come to laugh at me?"

She shook her head. "I didn't hear any jokes. Sorry, not my sense of humor."

"It's alright," he replied, becoming involved in a conversation after remaining silent for so long. "I heard your husband and daughter were..."

"Don't get me wrong," she sighed. "I'm only here because it's my job."

DS-A04 finally looked up. "What...?"

"The past is gone," Trixie said softly. "But life continues. My husband fought to the end to save all of his students. Just as the doctors here are fighting, even now. But _you..." _Tears lined her eyes, and she reached a gloved hand to wipe them away, the other clenched in a tight fist. "What are _you _doing?"

He took a sudden gasp for breath, as if kicked, and she slid the clipboard in through the cell bars.

"You're cleared for surgery. You ever dream about saving lives? Now's the time to start."

"Dream about...saving lives..." he murmured. "I..."

"Cry if you want to," she sniffed, turning away. "It's all a part of growing up."

"I...I..." he stammered, staring at his hands and losing control.

"Careful with the anesthesia," Jack warned, weaving his way through the equipment and busy nurses.

"Doctor."

Jack whirled around at the voice to see their white-clad surgeon standing there, out of that barred cell for the first time since he'd gone in there.

"You...?!"

"Please let me do this operation," he said, though it was not a demand—it was if he was pleading, that stiff facade slowly breaking to show the human emotion he had hidden below. "Please...let me save this life!"

He grinned and bowed elegantly. "The room is all yours, Doctor. Now hurry up and get ready for surgery!"

Name: Applebuck Farmsworth

Age: 10

Gender: Stallion [Colt]

Height: 50.4 in

Weight: 59.5 lbs

-Tumors found in stomach, pancreas, and pituitary gland. Treat quickly due to risk of hemorrhaging.

"We're dealing with Wermer's syndrome here, got it?" Jack said sharply. "First the pituitary glands, then abdomen and pancreas."

DS-A04 nodded. "Understood. Please begin with anesthesia."

**-Begin Operation-**

"I made the incision into the sella turcica and dura mater," Jack handed the scalpel over to the prisoner, stepping back from the table. "I'm handin' the reins of this operation to yah."

"Leave it to me," he said confidently. He treated the blood pool there with the drain, and began with the extraction of the first tumor. Considering the part of the body, it was a very delicate procedure, and he took the utmost care until all tumors had been removed, although removal with the scalpel took precious time to ensure care was taken.

"Moving on to the abdomen," DS-A04 stated, and Jack took his place as he moved.

"I'll close up here, partner. You go on ahead."

DS-A04 moved further down the table to treat the other areas, but looked curiously over the colt on the table.

"What are these bruises?" he questioned, gesturing to the red blotchy patches of skin across the left side of the colt's abdomen.

"Hm?" Jack looked up. "Oh, nothin', just blood spots. They'll go away after this."

The prisoner nodded. "Alright. Beginning pancreas operation."

He cut into the skin and surveyed the area, where some hemorrhaging had occurred, some tissue torn, which was easily repaired by the work of his sutures, and the application of some synthetic membranes. There were some small tumors and inflammations as well, which were quickly remedied. He took the ultrasound to search for hidden tumors beneath the tissue of the organ, while still treating inflamed areas and small wounds. Only two or three tumors were hidden, and they were excised. Once the rest of the organ was repaired, he moved on to stomach.

Looking over the new area, DS-A04 recoiled slightly at the sight.

"All this blood...? Where's this hemorrhaging from!?" he shook his head, focusing again, and began to drain blood and treat inflammations and tumors, his only goal to save this colt's life.

Another pocket of torn tissue opened, and he held the wound shut while reaching for the sutures. DS-A04 slipped on the floors when moving back, and the needle disappeared into the body before him.

"...!"

"The needle fell in?!" Jack said, eyes wide. "Dammit! Why at a time like this...?"

"I don't have much time, the kid won't last long—give me the ultrasound, it'll detect the metal!" he cried, scrambling for the machine and beginning a desperate search for the needle. After a short amount of time, both stallions let out a collective sigh of relief as DS-A04 took the forceps and retrieved it, reaching for another needle to finally sew the wound shut.

"Treatment complete," he said with a nod, and Jack let out a sigh.

"Ah was pretty worried, for a moment there," he grinned as the prisoner began to sew the colt back together.

"I see the blood spots are gone," the prisoner observed as he stitched.

"Yep," Jack nodded. "And it's all thanks to one skilled surgeon.

**-Operation Complete-**

He was taking the latex gloves off when Jack had come back to the now-abandoned OR, and he approached DS-A04 with an open hoof, as if to shake.

The prisoner put a hoof out to do so, until the stallion pulled his away with a chuckle.

"You're such a sucker, partner."

He turned on the heel of his boot towards the door and took the cigarette out of his mouth with two fingers.

"No, but I really mean it...you're something, kid." With a smile and a shake of his head, he left through the sliding door, leaving the prisoner alone again.

He stepped outside after cleaning up and looked up sharply at the stallion standing before him.

"That was an amazing operation," Bubble Berry said, with a wide grin. "Thank you."

This again...?

"It's...alright," he said with a nod.

The stallion smiled, pink curls bouncing, and offered an arm to the prisoner jokingly.

"Come. I'll escort you back to your room."

Rolling his eyes, DS-A04 reluctantly slipped his arm through the stallion's, though he refused to skip with him down the hall. Giving a sort of unamused groan, the stallion suddenly stopped, looking quizzically at the unicorn.

"Is something wrong?"

The prisoner shook his head. "No...let's keep going."

Berry paused for a moment, thinking, and then snapped his fingers when the thought came to him.

"On second thought, would you mind coming somewhere with me first? I gotta run some papers down to emergency."

DS-A04 looked at him oddly, surprised that they would allow him to go anywhere besides his cell or the OR.

Berry grinned, shrugging. "You can lock a man up, but you have to respect his wants," he quoted. "Especially if it's something honorable."

They walked together all the way down to the old—and almost ancient—ward of the building ,which was in constant disrepair, but still some working order.

"Here we are!" Berry declared loudly into the open atrium, hands in the air and a wide smile on his face. "What do you think of the building?" he asked with a giggle. "It's seen better days, huh?"

DS-A04 shrugged, looking around at the chipped paint and cracked walls that surrounded him. "I'd assume so." Several beautiful oil paintings remained, a beautiful blend of old art.

"Of course, this is the old ward. The rest of us moved into the new one. But...emergency's still here. Do you know why? The ponies here wrestle with life and death every day. They're under more intense pressure than most can imagine. It can make them...sensitive to serious issues about life. Somehow, I doubt they'll move to the new ward. Ha..." he broke off, staring up at the glass roofing over their heads. "Now go on," he smiled, giving the surgeon a playful shove.

"I'll be right back, I've got to take this report to the medical office," the stallion told Dash, exiting the old control and storage room, where she worked busily with the switchboard.

"Stop by the service department too," she requested. "They paged us earlier..."

"Okay, I'll stop on my way back," he nodded, and almost ran into DS-A04 upon leaving. "Excuse me..."

The surgeon idly stood by the door, a bit confused as she worked, messing with the wires.

"If you have Berry's papers," she grunted, pulling at a snagged wire. "You can drop 'em there."

"...all right," he said, setting them on a spare crate by his hoofs.

"Okay...fixed!" she declared proudly, with a wide smile as she stepped back from the fuse box. The lights above them flickered dangerously, and then plunged the room into darkness. "Gah! Piece of crap!" she groaned, smacking the box. Several paint cans were sent flying, but the lights then came on. She sighed. "What's the use, this ward's such a pain...is it too much to ask to have working lights!?"

"I see...that's...uh, unfortunate," DS-A04 mumbled, noting the thick layer of dust on most of the cabinets, boxes, and bins there.

"You still need something?" she turned to him.

"No...it's nothing," he shook his head. "Sorry."

He turned, and the door opened halfway before she spoke to him again.

"It wasn't you...right?" she said softly. "You're not the one behind the terrorist attack, are you? You have no memory, but you just wanna scream it out. Am I wrong?"

He sighed, and she gave a small laugh, sitting back on a crate and releasing a puff of dust.

"That's how I was as a kid. I think I lost my temper the other day...I'm sorry. Anyway, I know you aren't a murderer. At least, I don't _think _you are. So let's drop it, okay?"

DS-A04 blinked, a little confused. "Why are you being so...?"

She frowned, and started towards him. "Look, I've got a lot to do her, so if you don't mind—"

"W-Wait, I still want to—" he protested, stepping back on the old wrench she'd been using, breaking it firmly.

"_You bastard! What the hell did you break!?"_

"I-I didn't mean to! I just—"

"_If you'd have just quit moping, it wouldn't have happened!"_

"N-No! My personality has nothing to do—"

"_Dammit! Just shut up already before I punch you again!"_


	7. DS-A04 6-Blade of Resolve

6: Blade of Resolve

It was fairly quiet outside today, and the flowers out front were all now in full bloom.

"Everything has been documented in the files before you," DS-A04 said, holding the paperwork in his hands. "Please increase the bromocriptine dose to 6 mg...and that concludes my report," he finished, setting the folder down on the conference table.

Celestia stood before him, a proud, warm smile on her face. "Thank you...Doctor."

Bubble Berry stood awkwardly, sniffing until he erupted into tears, throwing himself onto DS-A04, sobbing.

"I-It was such a p-pleasure working with you...p-please don't forget us..."

The prisoner, face buried in bright pink curls, was able to camouflage his soft smile.

"I won't."

Jack stood on one corner of the room, blowing a ring of smoke towards the open sky. The unicorn stepped out onto the roof behind him, his dark purple mane blowing in the soft breeze.

"Goin' back to your fridge, huh, partner?"

He nodded, crossing the rooftop. "That's right."

Jack stood, thinking, for a moment, and began counting on his fingers. "14 operations...that's 26 years off of your sentence."

"That doesn't interest me," the prisoner answered.

"Hey, throw me ah bone or somethin'!" the stallion groaned. "Cheer up, will yah?"

"My sentence is 250 years," he stated plainly. "I still have 217 left. Maybe if I were immortal, it wouldn't be a problem."

Jack blinked, looking around awkwardly. "I-Is that a joke? Ah'm not sure if ah should laugh..."

He shrugged, and held a hoof out to shake, and DS-A04 eyed it with a distrustful glare.

"Don't worry," the stallion assured him. "Ah won't pull it back or anything. Just take care of yourself."

DS-A04 shook hooves, and nodded.

"Yeah...thank you for everything."

Their conversation was quickly interrupted by the growing sound of helicopter blades, and they scurried across the roof to avoid it.

"Jack!" Dash cried, leaning out of the center of the chopper, screaming above the roar.

"Dash, nopony said anything about a transport! What happened!"

"Her condition is critical!" she cried. "She was hurt in a bombing!"

"Ah bomb!?" he paled. "You idiot, we can't treat 'er here!"

DS-A04, on edge, cut in. "Why not? She needs to be admitted for surgery!"

"Third-degree burns mean ah debridement and ah skin graft!" he protested. "We have no tissue tah transplant! How can we operate!?"

"Dash!" the unicorn yelled up to the helicopter. "Lower the patient!"

"You idiot, what're yah saying!?"

"We can do it without skin grafting," he explained, eyes wild with passion. "I can save her!"

Jack shook his head. "You? Partner, your stay here is over! Look!"

Below them on the ground, ponies scattered, clambering back into cars where police cruisers were parked around the armored truck that had brought him here from the prison.

"They're panicked," Jack groaned. "They think you're tryin' to make an escape."

The prisoner frowned, giving him a furious glare. "No! I'm not turning my back on saving lives anymore!"

"Dammit!" he cried, stamping a boot against the gravel. "Alright, but whatever goes 'an happens, don't blame me! Dash, you heard 'im! Lower the patient!"

On the ground and lower halls, chaos was ensuing.

Trixie shoved her way through the crowd with two guards of hers, gun drawn, and ID in hand.

"FBI! Out of the way!" she demanded, hurrying up to the roof as quickly as possible. Throwing open the door, Jack was the only one there, standing on the edge of the roof casually.

"Don't move!" she shouted, face puckered into an angry scowl, her pistol aimed at him. "Put your hands up!"

"Yah mind?" he asked casually. "This is ah hospital, partners. Keep it down ah bit."

"Doctor," Trixie said gently, through clenched teeth. "Where is he?"

"Ah'm not armed," the stallion frowned. "Go point that thing at somepony else.

"His approved time at the hospital is up. Understand?" she tightened a finger towards the trigger. "Don't make the situation worse."

"Trixie, it seems that you and I are alike after all," he shrugged, slowly backing away towards the edge of the roof. "We both do whatever it takes to get our jobs done."

To her shock, he tipped his hat at her and stepped back off of the roof of the building. The helicopter steadily rose into the air, and he hung onto the side by the rail, hoof aimed like a gun towards them.

With a cocky grin, he "fired", and the chopper rose over the city.

"Dammit!" Trixie shrieked. "Pursue them! Request backup and stop that chopper!"

Outside the old ward of the hospital, a unicorn mare sat, purple curls hanging in her face, eyes red from crying, her forehead pressed to the cellphone in her hands, which she clutched much like a lifeline. DS-A04, as he came through the hallway, paused in front of her.

"Don't worry."

Her deep blue eyes opened wide, and she looked up to him. No, he had not met her, but the expression told him everything: she was normally a very strong woman, but this...this had broken her. He would not let her suffering be in vain.

"I promise that I'll save her."

Squad cars were hurriedly tracing the chopper above them, which traveled on an undetermined course, its unknown cargo pressuring the police below.

"Yes, we need as many local police as you can spare," Trixie spoke hastily into the radio from their own helicopter.

"We've intercepted their in-flight radio!" a guard informed her from the cockpit, and she hurried in to listen. "Connect me to it, now!" she demanded.

"—_must use extreme caution. Ready for briefing, Doctor?"_

"_...yes. Please begin."_

They're operating in the chopper!?" she shrieked. "They'll kill the patient!"

Name: Sweetie Belle Harper

Age: 8

Gender: Mare [Filly]

Height: 42.1 in

Weight: 41.9 lbs

-Severe burns on body as well as penetration wounds from shrapnel

"I'd be aware that we don't have stable voltage levels," Fluttershy informed him. "It won't be easy, Doctor."

He nodded, and took a deep breath. "After debriding the burns, I'll need the synthetic membranes. Keep the antibiotic gel ready too. Let's begin."

**-Begin Operation-**

Upon seeing the patient's chest immediately, Fluttershy had swallowed hard and almost turned away.

"So much debris and external trauma..." she whimpered.

Aside from one nasty burn, there was much blood and hemorrhaging, as well as a glass shard, and several cuts along one side of the chest.

"There are second and third degree burns," DS-A04 observed.

"It's a race against time, then," she murmured, holding his tools ready.

He began with the large burn, injecting coolant into it and excising the ruined tissue and placing membranes over the area. The cuts were easily sutured, the bleeding patched, and debris removed from the area.

He shifted his focus down to the filly's legs, which were covered in burns and blood as well. The burnt patches were tenderly treated and membrane was applied before blood could reject the synthetic tissue, and a wire lodged within a cut was quickly set aside on a tray, all open lacerations sewn shut. There was slight hemorrhaging under the skin when he moved back to her chest, which required the drain and scalpel in quick movements.

"Don't look away from the monitor," he informed Fluttershy. "If something happ—"

The monitor suddenly flat lined, and he scrambled for the paddles.

"Charge the AED!"

"Why did she—?"

"There's no time for questions, Fluttershy!" he groaned. "Just—"

The lights went dead.

"What's going on?!"

"The electricity's going out! Please, halt the procedure!" she begged.

"Of all the times, why now?"

**-Operation Terminated-**

"I can't see where I'm working!" he shouted, reaching blindly in the dark. "Is the power back on yet?!"

"Vitals dropping! Her pulse hasn't returned, either!"

"Dammit!" he cried. "Come on...make it in time!"

She piloted the chopper directly through the tunnel.

He screamed, ducking, his straw hat tumbling off onto the floor of the cockpit.

If she didn't have the controls right now, he'd probably slap her.

Jack, panicking and hyperventilating, grasped the control board for a stable hold.

"_Dash, yah crazy bitch! What the hell was with the tunnel?! Yah mind flyin' ah bit higher?!"_

"Stop complaining, dammit!" she yelled back. "Any higher, and they'd find us!"

"Can yah hear me? We got some distance from First Care!"

"_Is the voltage check ready yet?" _DS-A04 asked.

"_Vitals are dropping!" _Fluttershy's voice crackled over the radio as well. _"She's in critical condition!"_

"Sounds like they're havin' a tough time," Jack groaned.

"Crap!" she shrieked, jerking forward in the seat. Choppers closed in all around them, and Jack pounded a fist on the circuit board.

"Dammit!"

"_Doctor, I assume you can hear me,"_ Trixie's sly voice came over their radio. _"Drop altitude and land your helicopter at once!"_

"Not good...looks like this is it," he sighed, and Dash leaned over the controls again.

Once they'd landed, they stood, hands behind their heads as Trixie stepped out and approached them, clear rage on her face.

"Doctor," she sneered. "The game's over. Give him to me."

"The game's over?" he repeated, feigning confusion. "Give yah...who? Dash, yah got any idea what she's talkin' about?"

"Lady, this chopper's for transport only," Dash explained, grinning. "I don't think what you're looking for is on board."

Trixie, alarm coursing through her veins, stepped forward and through open the cargo door to the helicopter.

It was empty.

"_Three minutes since cardiac arrest!" _Fluttershy's voice echoed.

DS-A04 spoke next. _"It's not over yet! I'll massage the heart! Hurry up!"_

There, in the corner of the hold, was a small radio...transmitting voice feed back from Canterlot First Care.

She shrieked in defeat, whirling towards her comrades.

_"Get back in the helicopter! He's still at First Care!"_


	8. DS-A04 7-Waking Heart

7: Waking Heart

"Dammit! This is the old ward, but I didn't expect _this," _DS-A04 lamented, Fluttershy standing silently by his side as he repeatedly pressed hard into the chest of the filly on the operating table, attempting to keep the young heart inside of her beating strong.

"Cardiac arrest, four minutes," he said solemnly, looking around him at the nurses scrambling for a solution. "Still no power!?"

"Not yet!"

"Dr. Pastrie should be at the power room by now..."

Berry was thundering down the hallway as fast as possible, panting and puffing until he reached the heavy metal door at the end of the hall, throwing it open and sliding into the dark, musty room. Electricity crackled along the wires that were looped across the ceiling, but one hung down in the center, the two halves severed and hanging unconnected.

Panicking and standing unsure for a moment, he rushed forward, took one end of the cord in one hoof, and the second cord in the other. An unnatural cry of pain issued from him as volts of the power surged through his body, and through the connection he'd made.

Back in the old operating room, the lights flickered back on.

"The power's back! Charging the AED now!"

"Hurry!" DS-A04 begged, still performing chest compressions. "After we resuscitate her, we have to close her up!"

"The AED is charged," Fluttershy took it from the nurse, electricity crackling between the plates, and handed it to the prisoner quickly, who pressed it the filly's cold chest.

"We have a pulse!" the mare cried in relief, but DS-A04 was hesitant.

"Her organs must have been damaged to cause that..."

The mare's eyes flashed to his quickly, panic coursing through the room.

"Are you saying that the bomb..?!"

"I'll have to open her up to confirm it! Prepare for surgery!"

Though hastily, he made his incision with exact precision, the radio in the room beeping as a voice thick with a country accent crackled over the speaker.

"_First Care, can yah hear me? It's Jack. Ah'm sorry, but we ran into some trouble. They're headin' back to yah. Once they surround that place, you won't be able tah finish. Yah have about 10 minutes, so ah'd hurry up and get it done."_ The line crackled and went dead again.

"We'll focus on the operation and keep treating her," DS-A04 said calmly, opening his incision to take a look at the area inside. The ribs were shattered on one side, the broken bones piercing wide wounds in the lungs they were built to shelter.

The prisoner, shaking his head, reached for the drain beside him, removing the surge of blood issuing from the wounds.

"Hold those shut while I suture them," he directed, praying for the lights to hold out for him. Fluttershy held tight to a plate of membranes to apply to the area, and gel ensured that the tissue would heal properly. He began to extract the many bone fragments, and began to wonder if there would be enough time to replace the entire structure.

"The lungs have been treated, I'm going to begin restoring the ribs," he said confidently, reaching for the tray full of bone fragments. Through the use of constant gel to cement the structure together again, it took a few minutes to piece the body back together.

Six minutes left.

"Her vitals still aren't stabilizing," Fluttershy murmured softly, thinking. "What if...her liver?"

DS-A04 groaned, beginning to suture up the entrance. "We have no choice but to check! Scalpel!"

He made another opening found only severe damage before him. Large wounds much like those on the lung covered the organ, other lacerations and hemorrhaging present.

"We have no choice but to treat her, no matter how much time we have left."

The radio beeped again behind them, crackling quietly.

"_This is Jack. Yah don't need tah answer. Just listen. There's no time. This is our last message, so listen carefully. Partner, let Fluttershy take over the operation. Get outta there."_

He went pale, staring at the radio with wide eyes as if it were the angel of death before him.

"_Oh, and...yah did great. You're an amazin' doctor."_

"I'll take over the procedure," Fluttershy said firmly. "Please, you need to go."

"Hand me the sutures," he insisted, just as intensely.

"There's no time, you need to—"

"I'm not running away," he turned to her, passionate fire burning in his eyes. "I've always run, from whatever sins I may have committed...I won't run anymore, from the lives I've hurt, or the ones I can save!"

She nodded, with a stern smile, and continued to assist him. He reached for the sutures, with Fluttershy handling the drain for him, and together they worked to slowly patch up the nearly unrepairable area before them.

Three minutes left.

"That should do it," he nodded, after sewing the final wound shut and looking over the repaired area.

"There are abnormalities in the EKG!" the pegasus cried suddenly. "Incoming cardiac arrest, and it won't be pretty!"

He scrambled for the shock paddles as the monitor let out a flat tone.

"Her pulse isn't coming back!"

"It's not over! She can still be saved! Increase the voltage, and charge it again!"

"The pulse still isn't returning!"

"One more time!" he begged, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"She's flatlining, she won't make it," Fluttershy said sadly.

DS-A04 gritted his teeth, his horn beginning to dully glow, and eyes beginning to light up in a fierce white essence.

"Sweetie Belle," he begged. "Please. You've got the whole world ahead of you! You're not alone! Teach me...what it means to _live!"_

He pressed the paddles to her chest again, and the pulse returned, monitor beeping steadily. An eerie silence hung in the air, and Fluttershy began to cry quietly.

"Operation complete," DS-A04 smiled softly, tired and worn. "Let's close her up."

Time was up.

Trixie stomped down the hall, the heels of her boots clicking on the tiles.

Against the door to the OR, Berry stood guard, scorched and burned from the electrical shock that had been put through his body. A confident grin was spread across his face, and he gave the mare a questioning look as she approached him.

"Get out of the way," she demanded firmly, a scowl apparent, and her eyebrows dangerously slanted.

"There's a procedure going on," he answered calmly. "No one's allowed to enter."

"I have a _job _to do," she sneered. "Get out of the way or I'll use force!"

"That'll be enough. You may move aside, Doctor."

Fluttershy stepped out of the OR smiling, and she nodded gently at the mare before her. DS-A04 shortly followed, running a hand through his mussed mane.

"The operation was successful," he replied, staring without blinking towards Trixie. "I won't run or hide from you."

She laughed, a dark and unpleasant chuckle. "How ironic that you throw everything away, just to save a patient. Take him away."

Cuffs were firmly locked around his wrists, harshly so, and two guards toted him away from the others.

With a sickeningly charming smile, Trixie gave a little nod of her head towards the two doctors.

"Thank you for your time."


	9. DS-A04 End: Go in Peace, Sinner

8: Go in Peace, Sinner

Jack had resumed his usual spot to dwell on the high rooftop, looking over the city below with a watchful eye, cars and ponies scurrying around stories down like dolls, little more than specks of black against the pavement and sidewalks. He held the usual cigarette between his fingers, exhaling a stream of smoke into the once-clean air. The heavy metal door to the roof clattered open, and Trixie stepped up to the chilled haven, standing some feet behind him. He didn't turn to face her.

"Ya'll done here?"

"I'll leave his things behind," she answered coolly. "My men can handle the rest."

"Ah heard we won't be held accountable. How generous of yah," he snorted.

She shrugged innocently. "There's no proof that you deliberately helped him evade capture. Besides, it's a waste of time charging you with something like that."

He gave a small 'hmm' of annoyance. "Ah never knew ya'll would actually just go by the book itself."

Her frown deepened. "There's a time and place for everything, _Doctor," _she spat the last word with a new fury.

"So what will ya'll do to him?"

"He'll return to his cell with no further outside contact," Trixie said proudly, a dark grin spreading across her face.

He sighed, and blew another stream of smoke to the wind.

"Thought so."

She paused for a moment, before whispering beneath her breath.

"...believe in him."

"Pardon?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"Coming here _has _changed him. That's...that's what I believe, at least."

A smirk was apparent on him. "Yah think so? Well, ah think yah may be right."

Back in the cell, the fog was drifting low towards the floor, the chill seeping back into his bones after such little freedom from the cold. As the heavy doors were padlocked, checked, and firmly shut, he was encased in darkness once more.

In the dark, prisoner DS-A04 closed his eyes...

...and smiled.

**~End Book 1~**


End file.
